Proposed Law Offers Greyhound Tracks With No Dogs
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami) - What's a dog track without dog racing? Florida gamblers may find out if a bill filed Monday in the Florida House of Representatives is passed in the next legislative session.
In South Florida, that would have an impact on tracks like Flagler Dog Track, which has cut it's racing schedule to a minimum and re-=branded itself as Magic City Casino.
Dog track operators who were allowed to open "racinos" because they held parimutuel licenses have kept dog racing because the law requires it, but the racing that mace the racinos possible has become an afterthought.
The new bill (HB 641) would remove what has become a sham, and allow the racinos to simply operate as the casinos they have become.
A similar bill was sent to legislators last year, but the two houses never agreed on differing versions and the bill went nowhere.
Dog lovers and greyhound race tracks support the idea, while breeders and some greyhound dog owners opposed it. Other opponents also thought it would just lead to most greyhound race tracks becoming full-fledged casinos, rather than race tracks that also have card games or in some cases, slot machines.
This year, any bill related to gambling is expected to get tangled up in the debate over a proposal to allow up to three massive luxury casinos in South Florida.
